Better than normal : how what makes you different can make you exceptional

Format:

Book

Title:

Better than normal : how what makes you different can make you exceptional

Author:

Archer, Dale.

ISBN:

9780307887467

9780307887474

Edition:

1st ed.

Publication Information:

Physical Description:

245 pages ; 25 cm

Contents:

The eight traits -- Adventurous (ADHD) -- Perfectionist (OCD) -- Shy (social anxiety disorder) -- Hyper-alert (generalized anxiety disorder) -- Dramatic (histrionic) -- Self-focused (narcissistic) -- High energy (bipolar) -- Magical (schizophrenia).

Summary:

What if the inattentiveness that makes school or work a challenge holds the secret to your future as an entrepreneur? What if the anxiety you often feel can actually help energize you? Renowned psychiatrist Dr. Dale Archer believes that labels for behavior like "ADHD," "bipolar," and "OCD" are normal human qualities--and contends that we all experience these and other psychological traits to some extent, yet fail to leverage the significant advantages they can offer. Here, Dr. Archer offers a framework for redefining what constitutes mental health. Drawing on his twenty years of clinical experience, he describes eight traits of human behavior. Each of these occurs along a continuum rather than as a simple on-off switch (where "off " means we're fine, and "on" means we've got a problem). These are the aspects of our personality that we worry about the most, but these are also the very things that make us distinctive and different.--From publisher description.

Subject(s):

Personality.

Personality disorders.

Individual differences.

Individuality.

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Monmouth Public Library	155.232 Archer, D. 2012	Searching... Unknown
Searching... McMinnville Public Library	155.232 Archer	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

In 'Better Than Normal, ' Dr Archer offers readers an empowering framework for looking at mental health, demystifying and destigmatising the range of ways we all tend to behave. He describes 8 key traits of human behaviour - each of which occurs along a continuum rather that as a simple on-off switch

Author Notes

DALE ARCHER, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist and distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, founded the Institute for Neuropsychiatry and the psychiatric program at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital. He also runs DrDaleArcher.com, a free advice website.

Reviews (3)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Concerned about the mental health trend of "Overevaluating. Overdiagnosing. And most important of all, overmedicating," psychiatrist Archer identifies the dominant trait of each of eight disorders and says they exist on a spectrum in everyone, from absent to superdominant. He argues that if someone exhibits a trait associated with a disorder but the trait is not "superdominant" and is properly managed, it can be seen as a strength, not a mental disorder, and may make the person "better than normal." For instance, someone may be adventurous, hence restless and easily bored, but they do not have ADHD. Similarly, someone may be a perfectionist and not have obsessive-compulsive disorder. Other disorders he covers include narcissistic personality disorder, histrionic personality, and schizophrenia. As the title suggests, this is an upbeat book. Archer tends to rely too heavily on the experiences of people he has treated or known, and on his own personality and experiences ("Last week I found myself in Los Angeles, celebrating the Oscars.... Next, it's on to New York, where I'm... appearing on television to talk about Charlie Sheen." With his fresh approach and some interesting ideas, Archer normalizes personality characteristics too often seen as pathological. But his book covers too much in an often cursory, anecdotal manner. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Review

Booklist Review

The notion of normality is reassuring. There is a sense of comfort in conformity. Yet maybe we're too afraid of accepting ourselves as we are. Psychiatrist Archer grants personality lots of leeway. He identifies eight basic behavioral traits adventurousness, anxiety, drama, high energy, magical thinking, perfectionism, self-focusing, and shyness that exist in a continuum ranging from absent to dominant to superdominant. He encourages individuals to welcome the positive values of these traits. For instance, shyness may include hidden strengths, such as sensitivity and superb listening skills. It is only when the eight attributes become overexpressed that problems arise. For example, an exorbitant amount of perfectionism can result in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Too much self-focusing may produce narcissism. Archer contends that many personality types and symptoms are now receiving excessive evaluations, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment. The central message is clear: Good mental health comes from embracing who you are in every area of your life. Now that's a psychiatric pep talk guaranteed to rev up any reader.--Miksanek, Tony Copyright 2010 Booklist

Introduction	p. 1
1 The Eight Traits	p. 12
2 Adventurous (ADHD)	p. 34
3 Perfectionist (OCD)	p. 54
4 Shy (Social Anxiety Disorder)	p. 73
5 Hyper-alert (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)	p. 92
6 Dramatic (Histrionic)	p. 109
7 Self-focused (Narcissistic)	p. 130
8 High Energy (Bipolar)	p. 152
9 Magical (Schizophrenia)	p. 176
Conclusion	p. 199
Appendix: the Questionnaires	p. 209
Notes	p. 219
Bibliography	p. 226
Acknowledgments	p. 231
Index	p. 235

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Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (3)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Kirkus Review

Booklist Review

Table of Contents